Contract electronic signature workflow for shared agreements
LegalDoc's contract electronic signature workflow sends an approved shared agreement to up to 10 named recipients. Each signer types their name and accepts a consent statement, and LegalDoc keeps a typed electronic signature record with a SHA-256 fingerprint of the exact version signed. It is not a qualified or cryptographic signature.
From request to signed record
Signature requests start from a shared agreement in a team workspace. These are the steps and checks along the way.
Step 1
Prepare the shared agreement
The agreement must be in a team workspace, have complete text with no unfilled placeholders and, if the workspace has an active approval policy or the agreement has approval history, an approved current version.
Step 2
Send the request
An owner, admin or editor with a verified email and an active subscription enters up to 10 unique recipient emails. Each recipient is emailed a link. If an email fails to send, the request is still saved and the sender is told delivery failed.
Step 3
Editing is frozen
While the request is pending the agreement cannot be edited or archived. The sender can void the request to make changes, then send a new one.
Step 4
Recipients sign or decline
Each recipient signs in with a verified account matching the invited email, reads the document, types their name and accepts the consent statement. The request is checked against the document fingerprint they reviewed. Any recipient can decline instead.
Step 5
Completion
When every recipient has signed, the request is complete and the agreement becomes immutable. Amendments need a new shared document.
Request states
A request is always in one of five states. Only a pending request accepts signatures.
| State | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pending | Waiting for signatures. Editing is frozen. Expires 30 days after sending. |
| Complete | Every recipient signed. The agreement cannot be changed. |
| Declined | A recipient declined. No further signatures are accepted. |
| Void | The sender voided a pending request. No further signatures are accepted. |
| Expired | 30 days passed before every recipient signed. No further signatures are accepted. |
What each signature records
Every signature stores the same evidence. The downloadable PDF combines the document snapshot with this record and the request status at the time of download.
| Account | The verified LegalDoc account ID of the signer. |
|---|---|
| The invited email address, which must match the signer's verified account. | |
| Typed name | The name the signer typed (2 to 150 characters). |
| Consent text | The exact statement accepted: "I have read this document and agree to sign this exact version electronically. My typed name represents my signature." |
| Timestamp | When the signature was applied. |
| Document snapshot | The title and body of the version sent for signature, stored with the request. |
| Fingerprint | A SHA-256 hash of the title, two newlines and the body, encoded as UTF-8. |
Who needs what
Only the sender needs a paid plan. Team membership is not billed per seat.
| Sender | Workspace owner, admin or editor role, a verified email and an active subscription on their account. |
|---|---|
| Recipient | A verified LegalDoc account matching the invited email. No subscription. Signing does not add them to the workspace. |
| Downloading the PDF record | Workspace members and the request's recipients. Recipients keep access to their document and record without a subscription. |
Compare the monthly and annual plans on the LegalDoc pricing page.
What this signature is not
Be clear about the type of record you are creating before you rely on it.
- It is a typed electronic signature record, not a cryptographic or certificate-based PDF signature.
- It is not a qualified electronic signature, an advanced electronic signature backed by a certificate, or a notarization.
- Signer identity is tied to a verified email address and account. There is no ID document check, witness or in-person step.
- LegalDoc does not decide whether an electronic signature suits a particular agreement or jurisdiction. Some documents may need other formalities; confirm with counsel before using it for a given contract type.
- There is no signing order, bulk sending, field placement on a PDF or embedded signing in another app.
Signed agreements and their signature records are team records. They are retained separately from personal vault retention; see the privacy notice for how personal data is handled.
Questions about electronic signatures
Is a LegalDoc signature legally valid?
LegalDoc does not make that determination. It records a typed electronic signature with consent, timestamp and a document fingerprint. Whether that is appropriate for a specific agreement and jurisdiction is a question for your counsel.
Do recipients need a paid plan?
No. Recipients need a verified LegalDoc account that matches the invited email. Only the sender needs an active subscription.
Can I change an agreement after sending it for signature?
Not while the request is pending. Void the request, edit the agreement (and obtain approval again if required), then send a new request. Completed agreements cannot be changed.
What is in the downloadable PDF record?
The signed document text followed by a signature record: request ID, status at download, signing deadline, generation time, version, SHA-256 fingerprint and, for each recipient, the email and either the typed name, time and consent text or "Not signed".
Next: set up team workspaces and approval policies, check sender plan requirements or book a demo.